The present application relates generally to an improved data processing apparatus and method and more specifically to mechanisms for reducing power requirements for a multiple core processor.
A multiple core processor combines two or more independent cores into a single package composed of a single integrated circuit (IC), called a die, or more dies packaged together. For example, a dual-core processor contains two cores, and a quad-core processor contains four cores. A multiple core microprocessor implements multiprocessing in a single physical package. The cores also share the same interconnect to the rest of the system. A system with n cores is effective when it is presented with n or more threads concurrently. Multiple core technology is widely used in many technology areas, especially those of embedded processors, such as network processors and digital signal processors, and in graphical processing units.
The cores in a multiple core processor are typically integrated onto a single integrated circuit die (known as a chip multiprocessor or CMP), or they may be integrated onto multiple dies in a single chip package. With the use of multiple core processors becoming more predominant, many multiple core processors feature redundant cores to compensate for primary processor cores that are initially defective and, thus, improve manufacturing yield of the multiple core processor.